Page 107 of Smart Ass

Ben shrugged. “I guess so.” That watch had felt so much like a collar. Like a claim. Was that what it was? His wrist felt empty and barren.

“You haven’t been to the club.”

Yeah, because he was totally hung up on a Dom he hadn’t even introduced to his friends. “I’ve been busy.”

“Listen, Ben. I’m glad to see you settling down with someone. Does he treat you well?”

“Yeah.” Ben’s throat felt tight. Max treated him like a prince. Like Ben was his whole damned world.

Justice squeezed his shoulder. “He sounds like a good guy. Don’t push him away.”

“I’m not,” Ben argued. But had he been? Had he… had he ever told Max how special he was? How much he enjoyed everything about their time together?

Max didn’t need to know how pathetically Ben missed him when he went home each day, but he could have at least done something for Max, after all those hot chocolates and perfect scenes…

God. He was an asshole.

And now he was riding back to an apartment that had been emptied of all technology, with an ankle cuff that would set off an alert if he set foot back on Orbit property or left the city.

“I’ll get to see him again, right?” He knew Justice couldn’t guarantee anything, but that didn’t stop him asking.

“Once you’re both cleared of any further wrongdoing and it’s determined whether Orbit, the city, or the hospital want to press charges, he should be able to communicate again. Your job at Orbit is a separate issue.”

Yeah, he’d known that.

“Max wants to have a body,” he admitted. “He wants to become an android and leave Orbit.”

“Is that possible?” Justice asked.

“We don’t know. He’s been working on it. With the sexbot, you know?” For some reason, his eyes were getting wet. He just kept thinking of how the bot would walk across the room, half sensual sway, half jerky, confused motions, as Max fought to make the bot’s motions his own. Their failed, perfect first kiss, where Max was trying too hard to reach him.

God, he couldn’t believe he was fucking crying.

He was just tired. That was all. Usually he’d be asleep by now, and all the stress was wearing him out.

The car stopped in front of his apartment.

“Do you want me to come up?” Justice asked.

It was a big offer. He knew exactly what they were offering—a hug, a scene, someone to sit with him—anything he needed. He had such fucking good friends, and he never even paid it back to any of them.

It was a tempting offer.

So damned tempting.

But he could handle this. Justice was already doing more than enough for him. He didn’t want to ask anything more.

“No, I’ll be okay.”

Justice’s eyes narrowed. They both knew he was lying.

But Justice, like all good Doms, respected his words and understood consent. They weren’t going to follow him up there unless he requested it.

“Alright, Ben. But call me if you need anything. Seriously.”

Ben nodded. He wouldn’t, but it meant a lot to know that he could. Right now, all he could think of was Max.

He slid out of the car, keeping his back straight and his gait steady until he made it through the lobby doors. One neighbor smiled hello, looking like she was heading out to the gym. Another gave him the side-eye in the elevator, probably for his unkempt appearance.